Soft head hammer



May 28, 1968 I H. w. CLAY SOFT HEAD HAMMER Filed March 17, 1967 1 mam mm 1% M United States Patent M 3,385,334 SUFT HEAD HAMMER Howard W. Clay, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Ralph E. Koebbeman, Rockford, Ill. Filed Mar. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 623,956 7 Claims. (Cl. 145-36) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The method includes molding a soft metal head onto a steel eyebolt having a threaded shank extending laterally of the head, screwing an internally threaded handle onto the threaded shank, and locking the handle in one angular position with respect to the shank. The hammer includes an eyebolt with its ring completely embedded in a soft metal head, a slotted tubular member tapered at the end and threaded onto the eyebolt shank, a lock nut countersunk to engage the tapered end, and a hand grip on the tubular member.

Background of the invention This invention relates to hammers and particularly to improvements in soft-headed hammers and to an improved method of making the same.

Soft-headed hammers are used Where the soft head is necessary to prevent damage to the article being hammered, such as in work on jigs, machinery in general, and the like. As a result of the necessary softness of the metal from which the head is made, the head soon becomes battered and distorted so that it can be no longer used. The handle, however, usually remains in excellent condition. Previously, hammers have had the battered heads melted down and remolded on the original handles. While this restores the hammer, it has the disadavantage of necessitating the transport of the handle during the melting and remolding process. Another arrangement is shown in US. Patent 2,489,841 where replaceable molded heads are secured to the handle by a pair of C-shaped members. Previous hammers have had a hard metal band surrounding the head and which can cause damage when the hammer is placed on its side, or inadvertently dropped, or in the event of a misblow. Also the bands have had generally sharp edges which tend to fray the soft head as it is distorted in use.

Summary The present invention provides a soft-headed hammer having a metal ring securely affixed to the head as by molding and the ring is preferably completely embedded in the head.

Various objects of this invention are to provide a softheaded hammer, which is of simplified construction, which may be fabricated and refabricated at low cost, and which is rugged and durable in use.

3,385,334 Patented May 28, 1968 Drawing FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention and made by the method of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken along lines 22 and 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but through a distorted head.

Description Reference is now made more particularly to the drawing which illustrates the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The hammer includes a head 10 preferably made of soft metal such as lead, copper, and the like. The head has ends defining opposite facing striking surfaces 11 and 12 which preferably lie in generally parallel planes. A metal ring 15, preferably made of steel, is embedded in the head 10 intermediate the ends thereof and preferably lies generally parallel to the planes of the striking surfaces. The ring 15 is substantially in the form of a torus or anchor ring and preferably surrounds the central core of the head 10 and has its outermost surface closely adjacent the outer surface of the head. An elongate member including a shank 16 and a handle, generally designated 20, is attached to the ring and extends laterally from the head. In the embodiment illustrated, ring 15 and shank 16 are advantageously in the form of an eyebolt. Shank 16 has a plurality of threads 16a along its length adjacent the outer end thereof. Eyebolts of this general nature are readily available on the market, being formed of steel wire and having a threaded shank portion as illustrated. It is contemplated, however, that the ring 15 and shank 16 of this general structure may be otherwise formed, as by forging, if desired. The end 15a (see FIG. 2) of the eyebolt may be welded to the adjacent portion of the Another object is to provide a soft-headed hammer in becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing.

ring 15, if desired.

The soft metal head 10 is molded onto the ring 15 and completely fills the space inwardly of the ring. It is contemplated that the molding can be performed by casting, cold forging, or the like. Preferably, the soft metal surrounds and engages substantially the entire periphery of the ring. In this manner, no hard metal is exposed at the surface of the head, thus preventing damage should the hammer be dropped on its side, for example.

Handle 20 includes a tubular portion 22 and a handgrip portion 24 advantageously molded thereon. The tubular portion 22 has its embedded end crirnped or flattened as at 23 (FIG. 2) to prevent twisting and extraction from the handgrip portion 24. The crimp also substantially closes the end of the tube and prevents the molten material from running into the tube during manufacture. Tubular portion 22 is internally threaded as at 22a and arranged for screwing onto the threaded shank 16. The outer end of tubular portion 22 is beveled as at 23 (see FIG. 2) and slotted as at 22b, 22b to facilitate gripping the threaded shank 16, as will hereafter be described. The hand grip 24 is conveniently provided with recesses 25 in the external periphery thereof to provide an improved gripping surface. The recesses are conveniently provided on both sides of the hand grip to provide a grippin surface for each striking face and to accommodate right and left handed persons.

Since the handle 20 is threaded or screwed onto the threaded shank 16, it is apparent that the head 10 may rotate relative to the handle 20. To prevent any undesirable rotation during use, means is provided for locking the angular position of the handle 20 relative to the head 19 and shank 16. For this purpose, a lock nut 26,

one end of which is countersunk at generally the same angle as end 23 of the tubular portion, is threaded onto the shank 16 and then tightened back against the beveled outer end 23 of tubular portion 22. This action against the beveled end 23 forces the slotted outer end of tubular portion 22 tightly against the threaded shank 16. In this manner, the handle 20 may be locked with recesses 25 in the proper angular position. The threaded arrangement also permits an adjustment of the length of the handle, if desired, to increase or decrease the leverage.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the head can be considerably distorted through use. The generally torus shape of ring is particularly advantageous in soft-headed hammers of the type described. The ring 15 has a generally circular cross-section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As a result, a generally wide surface of the ring is presented perpendicular to the force of blows received on striking surfaces 11 and 12. Additionally, the generally large radius curved outer surface of the ring 15 prevents any sharp fraying or slivering when the metal is distorted outwardly of the ring. It should be understood that the ring 15 need not be limited to an exact circular crosssection. Preferably, however, the ring 15 presents a smooth-curved or arcuate surface in the areas closest to the striking surfaces 11 and 12. This prevents any fraying of the soft metal as the head is distorted by repeated blows, and the soft metal flows over the outside of the ring, as best seen in FIG. 4. In the embodiment illustrated, the radius of the curved surface is about A the major radius of the ring 15.

In making a hammer of the type described, I preferably utilize a steel eyebolt having a threaded shank thereon as described above. The eyebolt is placed into a mold (not shown) having an opening therethrough to accommodate the shank 16 and having position pins to properly position the eyebolt in the mold. When the ring is sub stantially completely embedded in the head, as shown, the position pins allow the molten soft metal to flow around the outside of the ring. The physical evidence of the position pins is slots 27 and 28 in the outer surface of the head 10. In this manner, the soft metal head is molded onto the steel eyebolt, and an internally threaded handle is screwed onto the threaded shank. The handle is then preferably locked in one angular position with respect to the shank as by lock nut 26.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the hammer can be easily and economically formed. Moreover, the head and eyebolt are detachably secured to the handle and can be replaced by a new head and eyebolt. Thus the same handle 20 may be utilized with a plurality of replaceable heads and, if desired, may be used with different size heads. The head may be economically re-formed through another molding operation.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific steps and apparatus shown and described, but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A soft-headed hammer comprising: a soft metal head having first and second ends in generally parallel planes, a metal ring of generally circular cross-sectional configuration substantially embedded in the head intermediate the ends and lying generally parallel to said end planes, said ring being disposed beneath but closely adjacent the outer surface of the head, and an elongate member having one end attached to the ring and extending laterally from the head.

2. A soft-heaed hammer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ring has a smooth arcuate surface in the areas closest to said ends, said arcuate surface having a radius approximately A the radius of the outer surface of the ring.

3. A soft-headed hammer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ring has a generally torus shape.

4. A soft-headed hammer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the elongate member includes a threaded shank portion formed integral with the ring, a handle portion, and means for detachably securing the shank portion to the handle portion.

5. A soft-headed hammer comprising: a steel eyebolt including a ring of generally torus shape and a threaded shank extending therefrom, a handle threaded onto the shank whereby the handle is removably attached thereto, and a soft metal head molded on the eyebolt and covering substantially the entire periphery of said ring.

6. A soft-headed hammer as set forth in claim 5 including means for locking the shank in one position with respect to the handle.

7. A soft-headed hammer as set forth in claim 6 wherein the end of the handle into which the shank is threaded has a pair of elongate slots therein and a tapered outer end, and wherein the means for locking the shank includes a nut threaded onto the shank and having a countersunk face engaged with the tapered outer end of the handle and tightened thereagainst.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,489,841 11/1949 Wyllie -29 2,692,626 10/1954 Martin 76-103 X 2,894,550 7/1959 Clay 145-36 3,042,092 7/1962 Ekstrom 145-36 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner.

R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

